In the last six months, I have been so inspired by the significant progress and attention to the portion of the Encore Movement referred to as “purposeful aging”. In late 2016, the Milken Institute’s Center for the Future of Aging convened a powerful “Purposeful Aging” summit that brought together national thought leaders, policy makers, academia, philanthropists and media to talk about the future of aging. The report highlights that our society continues to pigeonhole 60+ years old as a time of decline and disability. A sad commentary if ever there was one!

However, on an encouraging note, the Milken Institute defined the need to change the culture of aging for individuals and to create a new future vision that promotes the many benefits of purposeful aging. This vision shows the world the many assets older adults possess to make our nation stronger through social action. This report has many valuable and deep layers of information, research and ideas. I will spend several future blog posts addressing some of these important areas.

WHEN TWO GENERATIONS COME TOGETHER

Today, I want to focus on one part of the report that covers the many benefits and opportunities for bringing together the young and the old. It was not by accident that another group of national thought leaders gathered at the Stanford Longevity Center to explore how older experienced adults can play a critical role in the lives of children and youth. This conference resulted in another ground breaking report, “Hidden in Plain Sight: How Intergenerational Relationships Can Transform Our Future”. It seems that different generations can fit together like a jig saw puzzle.

To start, let’s look at our youth where 55% of adolescents and 40% of younger children do not have the support of caring adults in their homes, schools and community. The Stanford Report pointed out that all young adults require non-cognitive emotional skills including critical thinking, problem solving, social interactions and teamwork to successfully link to life and academic success. This is where older adults can easily aid.

At the same time, the second largest generation in history has the time and inclination to give back and live their lives on purpose. They seek and need to provide meaning and positive impact for others. The research from this report cited, “The key ingredient for success in life, is the commitment of a non-parental adult to a youth’s well-being. Nothing is more important than the fate of our youth in human kind future and older adults are the key to elevating the health, education and prosperity of young people. “

Increased longevity and healthier lifestyles are other important benefits for older adults working with younger generations. A recent study of intergenerational volunteerism found that older adults have a heightened sense of well-being along with reduced risk of hypertension and lower mortality. So, the bottom line is… doing good can be good for YOU and for future generations!

GENERATION TO GENERATION CAMPAIGN.

Encore.org recently conducted a nationwide survey to determine the viability of bringing generations together. The result overwhelmingly showed that people of all generations see the important value of intergenerational relationships to link their own sense of purpose with the well-being of future generations.

In November 2016, Encore.org launched the Generation to Generation social action campaign as a win-win-win opportunity to strengthen the lives of older adults while addressing the needs of our youth and the agencies that serve youth. Over the next five years, Encore.org has set a goal of recruiting one million adults over 50+ to play an active role in helping to lift the youth in our country. Encore.org is partnering with national organizations such as AARP, National Senior Corps, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, Alliance for Strong Families and Children, and VolunteerMatch.org to achieve this goal. These important organizations are looking to engage and connect older adults with our nation’s youth.

MENTORING

So, what does “purpose in action” look like? In all three reports and surveys done by Milken, Stanford and Encore, the solutions and recommendations all point to the incredible opportunities the older generation has to impart hard-earned lessons to the younger generation through mentoring. The beauty of mentoring is that it works both ways – those who are mentors end up learning as much as those who are the recipients of the mentoring!

Mentoring does not happen automatically. To help, Encore.org has set up a new five-year social action campaign that provides the framework for successful mentorship matches by working closely with agencies serving youth and volunteers.

ENCORE TAMPA BAY’S ROLE

Encore Tampa Bay is so excited to be a part of the Generation to Generation Campaign. Encore Tampa Bay is ready to put Purpose and Action together to strengthen the future generations of Tampa Bay! We will share success stories, and the many ways that you can get involved with this social action campaign. You can start this journey by going to the website www.generationtogeneration.org to learn more about the campaign and how you can find local agencies serving youth that need your talent, time and experience.

“We envision a future where the second half of adulthood is dedicated to supporting the next generation in ways that benefit old and young alike. “ Encore.org

It is time to name the elephants in the room – age and experience!!

There is not a week that goes by that I don’t hear from job seekers about how frustrated, angry or simply dumbfounded they are by their inability to land a job that suits their experience! Hiring managers are saying over and over again they are overqualified for the job which is code word for they are too old.

The next time you see those two elephants dancing in the background of your interview, you can make one of two choices:

Buy into the assumptions, questions, and concerns of the hiring manager. OR

Be prepared for the elephants and change your own mindset and responses in that situation.

Chris Farrell, (author of “Unretirement”) offers great advice when confronted with the “overqualified” response in an interview. Acknowledge the concerns that the hiring manager has and reassure them you are working for a better work-life balance and not another rung on the career ladder.

John Tarnoff, a nationally recognized career reinvention coach, offers a few tips to minimize the great age divide between you and the younger hiring manager.

Do not shut down or over react when ageism rears its ugly head.

Do not lecture or give advice to the younger manager during the interview.

Avoid telling stories about how things were when you were their age.

Remember you

are not here to impress them with all of your years of experience, but to be of service and to contribute to the organization.

I have heard from so many of our workshop participants that hearing they are too old or too qualified starts playing into their own self-identify and mindset. This is your time to shine and point out all that you have to offer an organization or team of people!

Here are some additional strategies to strengthen your mindset/ attitude and address the elephants in the room:

Talk about your character strengths and “potential “. A service attitude, a long term vision, strong work ethic, curiosity, flexibility, engagement, willingness to try something new. Another great article by John Tarnoff.

Keep up with the times. Be familiar with changes in the field, new technology, use of social media and realities in the workplace. Refer to Kerry Hannon’s book, “Getting the Job You Want after 50”, a great resource for all job seekers!

Market your age and experience as a plus. Being experienced means you are resourceful, a good leader, great networker, team player, and political savvy.

Be clear in your own mind and with your interviewer why you want this job. Clearly state your motivations and expectations for taking this job at this time of your life.

Show a willingness to learn, try something new, and adapt to this new way of work!

Finding a job in 2016 is a whole new ballgame with new rules and new skills to stay competitive with the younger generations and tougher job market. It means learning different ways to search, network, and interview. Most important, it starts with YOU. Have faith in yourself and adopt the right mindset. Build a great support system to pull you back up whenever you see those elephants in the room!

Encore Tampa Bay:

There are plenty of upcoming Encore Academy sessions along with our other Encore Tampa Bay network of resources/organizations that are ready to support you in your job search. Go to our website under Encore Resources for all the upcoming events and programs!

Two weeks ago, Encore Tampa Bay hosted an event in our community called Encore Connect: Your Roadmap to What’s Next with over 260 people in attendance. The event was created to help mid-life adults (and beyond) connect to resources, organizations and experts that could help them along their “encore journey”. What we heard LOUD and clear was that a key pillar for this new world of “retirement” turns out to be work and continued income. Recent research shows that over 57% of recent retirees have less than $25,000 in retirement savings. That same research shows that it’s taking over 40 weeks for older workers to find new jobs.

Our keynote speaker, Kerry Hannon, gave us valuable tips for finding a new job, learning to love the job you currently have, or starting your own business as an alternative path for continued income. The facts and trends show us, that not all businesses are interested in hiring older workers. (Yes, ageism is alive and well!)

So maybe this is a good time to take a second look at starting your own business. There are many boomers already taking this career path. The latest research from the Kaufman Index of Start Up Activity found that the 55-65 age group is the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs. In fact, currently a whopping 52% of all new entrepreneurs are age 45-64!!

They are living longer and are able to be productive for longer periods of time.

They have a willingness to take risks because of their experience and sources of financial support.

Boomers have more contacts and a better chance to succeed.

Research shows that working and thinking leads to a longer healthier life.

It is the chance to realize a dream.

(I am adding a 7th reason!) There’s never been a better time to start your own business here in our Tampa Bay community! There is a surge of entrepreneur resources and programs to help you no matter what stage of business startup you are considering.

I would like to share with you just a few great resources, programs and opportunities for those of you who are ON the fence about starting your own business.

Your first great resource is My StartUp Tampa Bay. We created this website (along with The Community Foundation of Tampa bay and the Tampa Bay Caregiver Accelerator team) to help anyone new or experienced to learn what is happening and available in our entrepreneur community. You will find numerous ways to connect to experts, mentors, meet ups and other resources in Tampa Bay .

Secondly, there is BizStarters. I recently met with the CEO, Jeff Williams, who has dedicated the last 25 years to help those over 50 start their own business. Jeff has created a wide variety of online products and services, along with coaches to help you get started. Jeff has offered us the opportunity to participate in a free webinar – “Start A Great Business After 50”. In this webinar, Jeff answers the 10 most frequently asked questions from people who are considering becoming an entrepreneur.

Third, we have “Who Owns the Ice House?“ Last month I had the privilege of meeting the author and founder of this great entrepreneur program and book. The The Ice House Entrepreneurship Program is a simple but powerful 7 week program that teaches anyone at any age, how to turn an opportunity into a business. AND this program is being offered at the St. Petersburg Greenhouse (Saturdays only) from May 7 – June 18!

And lastly there is SCORE. SCORE taps into the talent of experienced business leaders and entrepreneurs! This nonprofit association is dedicated to helping small businesses start, grow and succeed and provides highly relevant workshops and one-on-one mentoring at no-cost to clients. Here is a list of current local workshops and other resources.

For additional great entrepreneur resources like the St. Petersburg Greenhouse, Women’s Business Center, Tampa Bay WAVE and TEC Garage, check out the Encore Tampa Bay Resources Page.

Living longer, healthier lives has us revolutionizing the way we spend the second half of life. For most of us, knowing what we do NOT want to do may be clearer than what future path we want to take.

Encore Connect can help you go from THINKING about how you want to redefine your next chapter to actually DOING something about it. Encore Connect is set for Wednesday, March 16, 4-7 pm at University of South Florida St. Petersburg and will provide boomers with an opportunity to learn from national leaders and connect to local resources for education, entrepreneurship, volunteering, job searches and transitioning to their individualized “encore.”

Kerry Hannon, keynote speaker, is a national recognized expert in job transitions and the new retirement. She will provide key insights for how to stay relevant and engaged in this new world of work. Her top 10 bestselling book “Getting the Job You Want over 50”, will provide you with valuable tools and tips. (Every attendee will receive this book).

The second half of the Encore Connect event is dedicated to helping you literally connect to the amazing resources in our area that will help you to discover, retool and connect to your encore. We have over 30 resources, including coaches and mentors ready to help you take the next step wherever you are on the “encore journey”.

There has never been a better time for starting your own business.

For many of you, the kids are out of the house, you’re living longer and healthier lives, you want more flexibility with your work, and sometimes landing a new job after 55 presents a challenge.

The latest Kaufman survey shows over 45% of entrepreneurs today are aged 45-65. A recent Gallup survey identified the reasons why boomers are choosing this path for earning income and connecting to their encore.

New technologies in do-it-yourself websites, creating your own graphics and online tutorials for managing social media make it easy for boomers to start their own business.

So what’s holding you back? Why aren’t more boomers joining the ranks of entrepreneurs in the Tampa Bay area? One of the biggest reasons I hear is that most people don’t know how to get started or where to go for hands-on help with the all-important first step of testing a new startup idea. Every startup is an experiment, and if the hypothesis isn’t validated as to whether consumers want a product/service or whether the company is sustainable, the idea and business have a greater chance of failing.

Encore Tampa Bay is pleased to announce a great new collaborative effort that can provide you information on the organizations and entrepreneur resources that can help you every step of the way. Thanks to the contribution of Community Foundation Tampa Bay (and the amazing project team from REUNIONcare and Danielle Weitlauf), My Startup Tampa Bay will be ready to help entrepreneurs no matter what stage they’re in. (Launch date will be Mid October)

I recommend…

Put your toe in the water by attending one of the many events featured on our new entrepreneur asset map. Meetups are the best way to get a feel for what’s happening in our community. Another way to get feedback on your idea is through 1MillionCups.com — a free, weekly, national program designed to educate, engage and connect entrepreneurs. Every Wednesday at 9AM in locations all over the U.S., two entrepreneurs do a six-minute pitch about their new startup to a group of local entrepreneurs. This is followed by questions and offers from the audience to help startups take it to the next level. There are two locations in the Tampa Bay area where entrepreneurs meet via 1MillionCups.com — at the St. Petersburg Greenhouse and at the Hillsborough County Entrepreneurship Collaborative in Ybor City. This is a fantastic way to get feedback on your idea or just listen and watch others pitch their ideas.

Do your research

There are some great books, articles and blog posts that can help you check out the landscape and give you specific ways to investigate what it takes to start up your own company. Two books I would recommend are Lean Start UP by Eric Reis and The Art of the Start – By Guy Kawasaki. The article, What Successful Entrepreneurs Wish They Had Known Sooner highlights key factors to consider in starting up, like getting a mentor, and not being afraid of change or failure. Failure can be greatest learning opportunity — I learned that the hard way!

Social entrepreneurs

As we think about the encore movement and people that are searching for meaning and social impact, there is an obvious connection to social impact business ideas. So many of us have had some kind of experience, whether it be caregiving for our parents or addressing an issue facing our community where we say to ourselves, “There must be a better way to solve this problem.”

Encore Tampa Bay is teaming up with Hillsborough Community College this month by offering a series of informational sessions on social entrepreneurship. Our October 23 event will focus on social venturing with a panel on conscious capitalism and will feature two incredible social entrepreneurs from our own community. This is a free event for all ages and a great opportunity to learn more about this kind of business startup.

You have what it takes

Older entrepreneurs have a lifetime of experiences and skills that are critical for any kind of business startup effort, like problem solving skills, maturity, talent management, and financial savvy. Global Entrepreneurship Monitor documents that 50% of all startups launched by 50+ are still in business after 5 years!

What are you waiting for? Your big idea, your dream is calling you and there are so many great resources waiting to help you along the way!

On June 24, Senator Susan Collins chaired a special Senate hearing called, “Work in Retirement: Career Reinvention and the New Retirement Workscape”. The purpose of the hearing was to emphasize that working longer greatly enhances financial security for older individuals and strengthens the economy as well. Labor force participation for adults age 65-69 rose from 18% in 1985 to 32% in 2014. People want to stay longer in their jobs, they want to remain active and make a contribution.

Top challenges that older workers face in the workplace are: out of date skills, age bias and an increased risk of becoming disabled while still working. In a recent book, “Unfinished Work: The Struggle to Build an Aging Workforce” Andrew Coleman confirms that not enough is being done by government and employers to update older worker training and address age bias. Coleman points out, “When you work with an older employee day in, day out, you see him or her as a full person. You see a job applicant as an old person. That’s why it takes someone 50 or older almost twice as long to get rehired after a layoff as a younger person.”

Speakers at the Senate hearing encouraged government and employers to assume greater responsibility for retraining their older workforce. A recent report by AARP, “ A Business Case for Workers Age 50+” cites the cost savings for employers that retool the skills of older experienced workers rather than hiring and training younger workers. This report is full of further evidence to show the value older workers provide to businesses along with specific best practices for employers to leverage this talent. Another recent study done by the SHRM foundation found that older workers offered many advantages for employers including: more work experience (cited by 77 percent of respondents); more maturity and professionalism (71 percent), and a stronger work ethic (70 percent). The SHRM survey revealed that although these employers value their older workers, only 20% have implemented programs that address these demographic changes in their workforce.

Kerry Hannon, author, journalist and AARP’s job expert ended her testimony at the Senate hearing by saying, “I think we’re facing a tsunami of retirees who will find that they are going to outlive their savings. Working longer or working part time in retirement is a very important part of financial security for older Americans”.

I am optimistic about the future of work simply because we have started the conversation recognizing the demographic shift and identifying what is needed to create a win-win for both employers and older workers. Workers are ready to move into new forms of employment such as part time, project work or encore careers. Businesses are facing a large exit or brain drain over the next 10 years. Phased out retirement programs can be a very helpful solution to fill employer’s workforce pipelines and provide meaningful employment for millions of older workers.

I am also optimistic because the same conversation is going on in our national government where leaders are identifying specific strategies to address this shift.

And finally, I am optimistic that these and other recent surveys and reports keep highlighting the pioneers who are on the cutting edge and leading the encore movement to make meaningful change for American workers and businesses.

Encore Tampa Bay is committed to continue the conversation here in our own community. We will be hosting business forums and writing more articles that will shine the light on ways that employers can make the shift! Stay tuned – More to come…

Encore Tampa Bay is an initiative of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, a registered 501 (c ) (3) organizations. Donations accepted by the Community Foundation to support the work of Encore Tampa Bay are tax deductible.